As Raul Castro has stated himself: "I was not elected President to restore capitalism in Cuba, nor to betray the Revolution. I was elected to defend and maintain the process of perfecting Socialism, not destroying it."
Rather, instead of asking if Cuban communism is the beginning of the end, we should be asking ourselves if it is indeed global capitalism which is at the beginning of the end, as we witness the current student protests and the economic crisis in the UK alone, a country which has far more wealth and resources at its disposal than Cuba. Medical health care and educational services remain free in Cuba while in our own capitalist society we look toward massive cuts in health and education services which aim to marginalise the poorer sections of our society even further.

Cuba's track record on "reform" is far from ideal. Raul seems to be marching to a slightly different tune than his more fanatical brother Fidel,nevertheless, Raul still holds some staunch socialistic views. Change is likely to come but, it will most likely be modest in nature.

Castro Is Due to Fall, Bush Says
CHICAGO (Reuters)—President George Bush said Friday [20 September 1991] that Fidel Castro’s power as president of Cuba was crumbling, and he predicted that Cuba would soon become a democracy.
“One more event will demonstrate to one and all that we really have entered into a new era of freedom and opportunity”, Mr. Bush said in remarks prepared for delivery to a Hispanic group. “I’m speaking of Cuba’s becoming free and democratic.”
“Today we hear the creaking and crumbling of Castro’s dictatorship,” he said.*

I would have preferred it when - instead of gloating about the supposed demise of Cuban communism - the Economist had taken the analytical focus and made some analysis whether and how more than 1 million fired Cubans will be able to suddenly find an income in the private sector.

Castro's economic reform is just another joke. Not even the writer of this article knows how far the so called reform is going, but Cubans inside Cuba can tell you: it's another lie and disrespect to the Cuban people. Just few licenses are permitted in jobs that do not represent any vital interest for the Cuban people. Yes, it's a little step forward but the Castro's are forced to do it because they have no money and the risk of loosing everything is higher than doing nothing. They don't even talk about political freedom and the writer does not even care about it either but Cubans we do care....we need and demand respect for all human rights and until that day we need all countries and government of the world accusing and denouncing the Castro's regimen at every international forum on behalf of the oppress Cuban people.

Castro's economic reform is just another joke. Not even the writer of this article knows how far the so called reform is going, but Cubans inside Cuba can tell you: it's another lie and disrespect to the Cuban people. Just few licenses are permitted in jobs that do not represent any vital interest for the Cuban people. Yes, it's a little step forward but the Castro's are forced to do it because they have no money and the risk of loosing everything is higher than doing nothing. They don't even talk about political freedom and the writer does not even care about it either but Cubans we do care....we need and demand respect for all human rights and until that day we need all countries and government of the world accusing and denouncing the Castro's regimen at every international forum on behalf of the oppress Cuban people.

Having just spend a year in Cuba and having watched as the country began to change I feel this a really exciting moment for them. Most of the western media in instinctively going to pre-empt any attempt of change as failure and try to destabilize, which I think is deplorable. I would also like to point out that any American who fails to recognize that the current state of Cuba is mostly down to their 'embargo' (its actually a savage blockade) is seriously misinformed or blind.
In terms of this been the beginning of its end. I don't think so, it still has huge support from China, Vietnam and not least Venezuela and while such staunch socialism may disappear they will still carry on in power for a long time to come.

Is that so simple? If US had offer trainnig or credit to Cuba they would have accepted so easy? I think Cuba have a resistance to US, and they really didn't want this aproximation. Comunists governments are hostile with that way of economic politic.

Brazil had a shame position when ignored the politicians prisoners in latin america. And when ignored the Farc terrorrists.
Democracy in Brazil is not the same anymore. The government instituted the censorship in one state, and wants to extend it to 3 other states too.

The problem of owning businesses in a communist state is that you can't rely on any law. Laws in that country tend to be 'papel mojado', (wet paper) as Cubans say. As judges have political functions, it is easy to stage a 'corruption case' against a prosperous business owner and take all his possesions away.

The Republicans should recongise that they, with the help of their good friend Batista, were the ones to make a mess out of Cuba in the first place. Which led to the revolution against the ugly capitalism present in Cuba, similarly republican ostracism towards anything smelling of communism made the embargo, and the success of Castro.

The only good news are that change is projected. Before that, Fidel's obstinacy in his obscurantism always hampered any progress. The only good thing that happened to Cuba lately is the grave illness that took Fidel away from power for a few months. At last others were allowed to speak (among themselves, in secret, of all the indiosyncrasies of this failed state), eventually they started to think of improving things. Of course the way they think has been polarised by years of blind obeyance, an the new ideas will take time to appear, in their mind first, on the ground much later.
However, one must recognise that that state is not a failure all the way: despite scarce resources, education and medecine are among the best in the developing world, except in management courses, of course.

The only good news are that change is projected. Before that, Fidel's obstinacy in his obscurantism always hampered any progress. The only good thing that happened to Cuba lately is the grave illness that took Fidel away from power for a few months. At last others were allowed to speak (among themselves, in secret, of all the indiosyncrasies of this failed state), eventually they started to think of improving things. Of course the way they think has been polarised by years of blind obeyance, an the new ideas will take time to appear, in their mind first, on the ground much later.
However, one must recognise that that state is not a failure all the way: despite scarce resources, education and medecine are among the best in the developing world, except in management courses, of course.

Would be interesting to read more about the details of the reform. Is this the start of a Chinese style reform where the plan economy is maintained but a paralel market economy is established and allowed to outgrow it? Or will they go for a Soviet/eastern European approach and tear down the whole mess? I'm placing my bets in the former.

The embargo exists precisely because Cuba is poor. If Cuba prospers enough to become exploitable you will find that the Republicans will suddenly be all in favour of lifting the embargo, and will cease all talk about political prisoners and the like.

That's why they lifted the embargo on Vietnam while millions were still in re-education camps. They won't want their friends to miss out on another profit bonanza.

I would not call Mr. Raul Castro's plan BOLD. Considerations in Cuba are based on politics and not economic realities. Times are very hard and the survival of the regime is at stake. The program is already a failure, even before it starts.
The consequences of leaving 1/2 million people out of work, will haunt the regime pretty soon after it takes effect. Social unrest is around the corner.
I just hope the US is ready for the boat exodus to Miami shores.